UPDATE: Green Bay Packers to release Chad Clifton

The Green Bay Packers will be entering training camp (and this week's NFL Draft) with five players on the roster that have significant experience playing offensive tackle in the NFL. One of them, T.J. Lang, is penciled in as the starting left guard for the foreseeable future, leaving four guys starting for tackle spots on the roster. One of them, veteran Chad Clifton, is owed $5.25 million in base salary and isn't a lock to make the roster.

Clifton showed up for voluntary workouts last week, but don't assume that this means he isn't going to be cut eventually. Clifton will make $250,000 for participating in the team's offseason workout program, but it's worth paying him that money even if the believes they might cut him eventually, simply because Derek Sherrod isn't healthy yet and the team doesn't know what's going to fall to them in the NFL Draft.

The Packers veteran's other roster bonus and his base salary isn't due until the season starts. His attending workouts and collecting a workout bonus is unlikely to affect the team's draft strategy, and we're unlikely to know whether or not Clifton is going to be on the team next year until the final roster cut.